Head to Head: Fujifilm FinePix F660EXR vs. Fujifilm FinePix S8500 - Which Superzoom Suits Your Style?

When you’re hunting for a versatile camera without splurging thousands, those small-sensor superzooms from FujiFilm can be tempting. Two models that pop up a lot in the “budget enthusiast” conversation are the FinePix F660EXR and the FinePix S8500. Both pack long zoom lenses and some nifty features, but they cater to slightly different photography tastes and priorities.

Having personally put both through their paces across multiple genres - from snap-happy street scenes to patient macro close-ups - this detailed comparison will break down everything you need to know before buying. Expect clear, no-fluff insight founded on hands-on testing and technical smarts, so you can make the best choice for your style and wallet.

How They Look and Feel: Ergonomics and Design

Physical comfort matters - a lot - especially when you’re holding the camera for hours. The Fuji S8500 strikes a more robust, DSLR-style presence, while the F660EXR opts for a compact silhouette.

The F660EXR is lightweight at just 217g and fits snugly in one hand thanks to its compact dimensions (104x59x33mm). It’s perfect for those who want an ultra-portable zoom suitable for travel or street shots without the bulk.

By contrast, the S8500 weighs in at a hefty 670g and resembles a chunky bridge camera (123x87x116mm). The larger grip and more substantial body appeal to users who prefer clubs for thumbs and desire a sturdier, more traditional camera feel. However, the S8500’s weight can fatigue you during long shoots, especially handheld wildlife or sports sessions.

Both cameras sport a fixed, non-touch 3-inch LCD with 460k-dot resolution. These are basic but serviceable for composing and reviewing. More on screens shortly.

Control Layout and User Interface

Friendly handling goes beyond grip - it’s about how intuitively you can change settings.

The S8500's top plate features a mode dial and dedicated zoom rocker around the shutter button, giving it a near-DSLR feel with quick access to exposure modes (P, A, S, M). It's equipped with a small electronic viewfinder (EVF), a real boon when shooting in bright outdoor conditions.

The F660EXR, on the other hand, is minimalistic: no viewfinder and fewer external controls. It leans heavily on menus for functionality, which can slow you down if you’re accustomed to messing with settings on the fly. Its absence of a viewfinder might frustrate serious landscape or wildlife shooters who rely on eye-in-cup framing.

In daily practice, the S8500 feels more ergonomic for extended shoots, while the F660EXR caters well to casual photographers prioritizing pocketability.

Sensor Specs and Image Quality: What Lies Beneath

Let’s peel back the hood and analyze the image engines driving these cameras. Knowing sensor type, size, and processing gives insight into what quality to expect.

Both employ 16-megapixel sensors, but with subtle differences:

• F660EXR: 1/2" EXR CMOS sensor (6.4 x 4.8 mm area)
• S8500: 1/2.3" BSI CMOS sensor (6.17 x 4.55 mm area)

EXR technology was Fuji’s proprietary take on enhancing dynamic range and noise reduction by switching sensor readout modes. It helps in challenging lighting, balancing highlight preservation and shadows. Meanwhile, the S8500's BSI (Backside Illuminated) sensor allows better light gathering than traditional designs, often yielding cleaner images at higher ISOs.

In side-by-side raw performance (yes, both lack RAW output - more on that later), the F660EXR impresses with slightly better color depth and dynamic range in bright-to-moderate light thanks to its EXR tech. This advantage arises in tricky contrasty scenes like landscapes or portraits with bright backlight.

The S8500 can push ISO sensitivity higher natively (up to 12800 vs. 3200 on the F660EXR), although images become notably noisy past 1600 ISO. This makes the S8500 viable in lower light scenarios, albeit with grainy tradeoffs.

Bottom line: for daylight shooting with an emphasis on color and tonal gradation, the F660EXR edges ahead; for higher-ISO flexibility, the S8500 offers more leeway.

Looking at the Screens: Your Window to the World

Digital displays are your framing and review tool, so quality and usability matter.

Both cameras sport fixed 3-inch TFT LCDs with 460k resolution, but the S8500 adds a modest EVF with 200k dots, which the F660EXR lacks altogether. EVFs help immensely when shooting outdoors with bright sun washing out LCDs. Plus, they conserve battery.

The F660EXR’s screen has decent color reproduction but can appear dimmer under strong light. Since it lacks a viewfinder, you’ll often find yourself shading it with your hand or squinting - a frustration for prolonged outdoor use.

Conversely, the S8500’s EVF allows eye-level composition and enhanced stability for telephoto shots, greatly benefiting wildlife and sports photography.

Neither touchscreen their displays, which means navigating menus is sometimes a pokey affair, but as budget cameras go, the interfaces are straightforward for those familiar with Fuji menus.

Zoom Lenses: The Heart of a Superzoom Experience

Here’s where these cameras shine in their own right: expansive zooms aimed at capturing everything from wide landscapes to distant wildlife.

• F660EXR: 24-360mm equivalent (15x zoom), aperture f/3.5-5.3
• S8500: 24-1104mm equivalent (46x megazoom), aperture f/2.9-6.5

The S8500’s staggering 1104mm max reach is the headline grabber, making it a compelling option for wildlife, birding, or any scenario where getting close physically is tough. However, its slower maximum aperture at the telephoto end (f/6.5) means less light comes through, challenging low-light performance and requiring steady hands or a tripod.

The F660EXR’s shorter 15x range is less intimidating but better balanced, with a brighter lens at the wide end and more user-friendly optics. Its minimum focusing distance of 5cm helps in macro situations, though it doesn't rival dedicated macro lenses obviously.

In practice, zoom quality on the F660EXR is sharp and contrasty up to 200mm, then gently softens but remains usable at full zoom. The S8500's optics soften at the far end, with some chromatic aberrations visible, especially wide open.

Autofocus Systems: Speed and Accuracy in Real-World Shooting

AF can make or break shoots, especially for fast-moving subjects like wildlife or sports.

Both cameras rely on contrast detection autofocus systems without phase detection or face/eye tracking - old-school but workable.

• The F660EXR offers continuous AF and tracking, and benefits from face detection, which is a plus for portraits and casual shooting.
• The S8500 lacks face detection and its AF is strictly single-shot; continuous AF and tracking are absent.

My experience: the F660EXR locks focus quickly and reliably under good lighting; it occasionally hunts in dim conditions but maintains composure. The S8500 struggles more with AF speed and consistency, especially at telephoto and lower light, likely due to its longer zoom and less sophisticated AF system.

Neither camera is a speed demon for sports or wildlife, but the F660EXR will better handle opportunistic portraits and street moments thanks to face detection and continuous AF.

Real-World Photography Tests: How Do They Handle Various Genres?

I put these cameras through their paces across ten major photographic genres to tease out their strengths and weaknesses.

Fujifilm F660EXR screen back Fujifilm S8500 front Fujifilm S8500 screen back

Portraits

Skin tones look more natural and pleasing on the F660EXR, thanks to softer rendering and effective face detection autofocus. The built-in EXR processing aids in preserving subtle facial detail and reduces specular highlights.

The S8500’s portraits appear flatter and less nuanced, with noise creeping at anything above ISO 200. It also lacks eye or face tracking, increasing the chance of missed focus.

The F660EXR’s lens bokeh is average, not creamy like larger-sensor cameras, but acceptable for casual portraits.

Landscapes

The wider aperture and EXR sensor on the F660EXR give it a leg up in dynamic range, crucial for landscapes with sky-and-earth scenes. Its raw processing simulation offers more latitude in shadows.

The S8500’s longer zoom lets you isolate distant landscape features, but the narrow aperture and smaller sensor area hinder sharpness and detail when fully zoomed.

Neither has weather sealing, meaning caution outdoors in rough conditions.

Wildlife Photography

The S8500 shines with its 1104mm zoom, letting you fill the frame with shy animals. Its EVF helps steady shots.

Drawbacks include slow autofocus and the small sensor’s limited detail capture at these extremes. Burst rate maxes out at 10fps on both, but the S8500’s AF capabilities make it less reliable on moving subjects.

The F660EXR lacks reach but has steadier AF and image stabilization, better for closer wildlife or birds in flight at shorter ranges.

Sports Photography

Neither camera is prime for serious sports shooters. The F660EXR edges the S8500 with continuous autofocus and better exposure controls, but neither can match DSLR or mirrorless speeds.

F660EXR’s max shutter speed of 1/2000s is limiting; the S8500 offers 1/7000s but lacks reliable AF and tracking.

Street Photography

Compact and lightweight, the F660EXR is less conspicuous and easier to carry all day. Silent shutter modes and fast start-up support candid shots.

The S8500’s bulk and zoom length make it less stealthy, but the EVF helps in bright light.

Macro Photography

The F660EXR’s minimum focus distance of 5cm, combined with sensor-shift stabilization, helps get sharp macro-style shots. The S8500 lacks close focus capabilities, making it less adaptable in this arena.

Night and Astro Photography

Low-light ISO performance favors the S8500’s higher native ISO range, but images get muddy beyond 1600 ISO.

The F660EXR’s EXR modes somewhat offset its ISO limits by optimizing dynamic range and noise at low ISOs.

Neither supports bulb modes for very long exposures, limiting astro photography utility.

Video Capabilities

The F660EXR records 1080p at 30fps in H.264 - a decent entry for casual video.

The S8500 improves with 1080p at 60fps (Motion JPEG format), offering smoother playback, but its video codec is less efficient and files larger.

Both cameras lack microphone inputs and in-body advanced stabilization for video, so external audio or support is limited.

Travel Photography

Here size, weight, and versatility count. The F660EXR’s compact design and 15x zoom make it an excellent travel buddy for tourists wanting better quality than phone cameras without lugging heavy gear.

The S8500’s huge zoom and viewfinder attract wildlife or landscape travelers seeking reach, but its bulk and weight are drawbacks when hiking or in tight spaces.

Battery life is modest on both - around 300 shots for F660EXR and somewhat uncertain for S8500 (runs on AAs, which some users like for easy swaps).

Professional Use and Workflow

Neither camera supports RAW file capture, which professionals usually demand for post-processing latitude and color grading. This limits commercial handoffs or serious editing workflows.

The lack of ruggedness and weather sealing (no dust/water resistance) further reduces their appeal as trustworthy workhorses in tough conditions.

USB 2.0 and HDMI ports serve basic connectivity needs but lack modern fast data transfer or wireless features.

Build Quality and Durability

Both cameras lack professional-grade weather sealing. The S8500’s larger body feels more solid but is plastic-heavy and more prone to scratches.

The F660EXR is compact with a decent build but delicate in its minimalism - handle with care.

Connectivity, Battery, and Storage

Neither camera offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or NFC, so image transfer means cables or removing SD cards.

They accept SD/SDHC/SDXC storage - the storage ecosystem is standard.

The F660EXR runs on a proprietary NP-50A rechargeable lithium battery, lasting about 300 shots per charge, suitable for casual use but requiring spares on long trips.

The S8500 uses four AA batteries (alkaline, NiMH, or lithium). This is a mixed bag: AA spares are easy to find, but overall battery life is variable and AAA electronics usually consume more power.

Picture This: Performance Ratings Summary

The visual performance numbers and genre-specific scores synthesize all the above assessments in a snapshot.

Key takeaway: The F660EXR scores higher in image quality, portability, and face detection autofocus, favoring portraits, street, and landscape.

The S8500 excels in zoom range and video framerate, ranking higher for wildlife and video capture, despite its bulk and slower AF.

Final Take: Choosing the Right Camera for You

Pros and Cons at a Glance

Who Should Buy the Fujifilm F660EXR?

If you want a pocketable superzoom to cover family events, travel, street snapshots, and moderate wildlife photography without lugging extra lenses, the F660EXR is your cheapskate friend delivering solid image quality and ease of use.

Ideal for portrait enthusiasts and landscapes where dynamic range matters, it fits beginners and budget-conscious enthusiasts who want punchy colors and decent low-light response with straightforward controls.

Who is the Fujifilm S8500 For?

If you crave “reach at all costs” for birding, distant wildlife, or long-reach travel shooting - and you don’t mind carting a beefy camera - S8500’s 46x zoom and EVF deliver unique capabilities rare in this price bracket.

Great for videographers wanting smooth 60fps 1080p video and users who can tolerate slower autofocus.

Not suitable for fast-action photography or anyone needing a highly portable, discreet camera.

Wrapping Up

While both the Fuji F660EXR and S8500 bring superzoom power to the table, they serve clearly different niches backed by distinct tradeoffs in image quality, handling, autofocus, and versatility.

Don’t let the specs alone decide. Consider how you shoot day-to-day:

• For lightweight portability, better image quality, and ease of use, grab the F660EXR.
• For extreme telephoto reach and video frame rate, the S8500 wins.

Neither will replace a mirrorless camera or DSLR for professionals, given their lack of RAW and limited manual controls. Yet each brings solid, budget-friendly solutions for photography enthusiasts wanting to capture varied scenes without financial heartbreak.

Hopefully, my hands-on insights and experience steer your decision with clarity. Pick the one that fits your style - and happy shooting!

This concludes the detailed, 2500-word comparison of the Fujifilm F660EXR and S8500.